Built in 1899, the 315 ft. tower offers an observation deck at 270 feet, the third highest viewing point in D.C. Enjoy the unparalleled views and check out the Bells of Congress, just below the observation deck. Don’t forget to grab a snack or a souvenir at the shops and food court on the ground level.<br>

Built in 1899, the 315 ft. tower offers an observation deck at 270 feet, the third highest viewing point in D.C. Enjoy the unparalleled views and check out the Bells of Congress, just below the observation deck. Don’t forget to grab a snack or a souvenir at the shops and food court on the ground level.<br>

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===[http://www.pentagonmemorial.net Pentagon Memorial]===

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At the Pentagon (Arlington, VA), Near Pentagon Metro Station (Blue and Orange Lines)

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Perhaps few events in our lifetimes have had as large an effect on us as the tragedies that struck our country on September 11, 2001. In September 2008, the nation’s first official memorial to those we lost that day was opened on the west side of the Pentagon (the same side that was severely damaged that fateful day). Each of the 184 memorial units (benches and lighted pools of water) commemorates the lives of the 59 passengers and crew of Flight 77 and the 125 Pentagon personnel who were taken from us that day. The memorials are arranged along a timeline from the youngest victim to the oldest and are in alignment with the path of airliner that crashed into the building. Additionally, each of the memorials to those on Flight 77 are facing such that you’re looking toward the sky when you read their names. Likewise, those of Pentagon personnel face such that you’re looking at the Pentagon when you read their names. And yes, you are welcome to sit on the benches and reflect, for that is, in part, the purpose of this memorial.

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If you have an iPod or other mp3 player, we recommend that you download the [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/interactives/pentagonmemorial/audiotour/index.html audio tour] to enhance your visit to this sacred space.<br>

Insider Tips for Visiting Everyone's Favorite Washingtonian Sights.

South of Independence Avenue, between 14th Street, SW and Raoul Wallenberg Place (15th Street, SW) Nearest to Smithsonian Metro Station (Blue and Orange Lines)

The buck starts here. Join one of the Bureau's popular tours to see how our nation's paper money is made. Same-day tickets are handed out starting at 8a.m. (get there beforehand) at the visitor's center on the Raoul Wallenberg Place (15th Street) side of the building.

Nearest to Union Station (Red Line) or Capitol South Metro Station (Blue and Orange Lines)

Start your visit to the seat of the federal government at the new Visitor's Center on the east side of the Capitol. To see the Capitol itself, we recommend booking your free tour passes online (or through your senator or representative) ahead of time. A limited number of free passes are available each day at the visitor's center, but these run out quickly during the summer months.

The home of cereal heiress Marjorie Merriwether Post, containing several of America's premier art collections, including Fabergé Eggs, Russian porcelain, 18th French furnishings, and more. The lush gardens are also not to be missed.

The first and only public museum dedicated to espionage that gives a global perspective on the profession. The museum is comprised of two parts. The first part is a 2 hour self guided tour through exhibits covering international spy-related artifacts such as individual spies. The second part is Operation Spy, an interactive 1 hour tour, where participants in a group of fourteen are divided into groups of four who try to solve a preplanned case.

Cost: $18 for Adults, $17 for Seniors, $15 Children ages 5 to 11.

Museum store and one restaurant Spy Cafe which is a casual dinning option open from 8am to 6pm, later Fri. & Sat. The restaurant is perfect for a casual gathering with friends.

You don't have to spend time in one of the museums in DC to enjoy art during your visit to the Nation's Capital. The New York Avenue Sculpture project, sponsored by the National Museum of Women in the Arts, has produced a major outdoor sculpture corridor a few short blocks from the Convention Center on New York Avenue between 9th and 13th Streets. The exhibit features changing installations of world-class art by women. The artist whose work was selected to inaugurate this public art exhibition program, and which will still be in place in June, is Niki de Saint Phalle, best known for her playful and colorful sculptures that celebrate women, children, cultural diversity and love. Saint Phalle began making large-scale mosaic sculptures for public display in the 1970s.

Built in 1899, the 315 ft. tower offers an observation deck at 270 feet, the third highest viewing point in D.C. Enjoy the unparalleled views and check out the Bells of Congress, just below the observation deck. Don’t forget to grab a snack or a souvenir at the shops and food court on the ground level.

At the Pentagon (Arlington, VA), Near Pentagon Metro Station (Blue and Orange Lines)

Perhaps few events in our lifetimes have had as large an effect on us as the tragedies that struck our country on September 11, 2001. In September 2008, the nation’s first official memorial to those we lost that day was opened on the west side of the Pentagon (the same side that was severely damaged that fateful day). Each of the 184 memorial units (benches and lighted pools of water) commemorates the lives of the 59 passengers and crew of Flight 77 and the 125 Pentagon personnel who were taken from us that day. The memorials are arranged along a timeline from the youngest victim to the oldest and are in alignment with the path of airliner that crashed into the building. Additionally, each of the memorials to those on Flight 77 are facing such that you’re looking toward the sky when you read their names. Likewise, those of Pentagon personnel face such that you’re looking at the Pentagon when you read their names. And yes, you are welcome to sit on the benches and reflect, for that is, in part, the purpose of this memorial.

If you have an iPod or other mp3 player, we recommend that you download the audio tour to enhance your visit to this sacred space.

In order to ride up to the top and take in one of Washington's best views, book your free tickets in advance. (Note that there's a $1.50 surcharge per ticket.) You can also get free tickets from the Washington Monument Lodge (in front of the monument) but you'll have to get up really early to get them before they're gone.

Construction was begun in 1907 and completed in 1990. The Cathedral is the seat of the Episcopal Church in both the U.S. and Washington but it also functions as a spiritual center for Americans of all faiths and has been the scene of many national moments of mourning, including several presidential funerals. The observation deck in the southwest tower is over 200 ft, high, but because the Cathedral sits on a hill, you’re actually higher up than you would be in the Washington Monument. The Cathedral is second largest in the U.S. and among its curiosities are a piece of the Moon contained within in the famed Space Window and Darth Vader hiding among the cathedral’s many gargoyles.Did You Know? The Cathedral is the final resting place of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson; world-famous advocate for people with disabilities, Helen Keller; and her teacher, Anne Sullivan.

Perhaps one the most popular tours in Washington but also one of the hardest to line up. You must contact your senator or representative in advance to arrange a tour of the White House. Click on the link above for more details.